This year’s first demographic data bring a rare positive signal for Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the first three months of this year, more children were born than in the same period last year, at the same time a lower number of deaths was recorded, so the natural decline of the population was significantly reduced, it says BiznisInfo.ba.
According to the data of the BiH Statistics Agency, from January to the end of March this year, 5,551 children were born, which is 326 or 6.2 percent more than in the same period last year, when 5,225 babies were born. At the same time, the number of deaths decreased from 9,433 to 9,000 people, that is, by 433 or 4.6 percent.
The natural decline is lower by 759 people
Due to the higher number of births and lower number of deaths, the natural population decline in the first three months of this year amounted to 3,449 people.
In the same period last year, the natural increase was negative for 4,208 inhabitants, which means that this year the natural decrease was reduced by 759 people, that is, by about 18 percent.
The vital index, which shows the ratio between the number of live births and deaths, has also improved. It rose from 55.39 in the first three months of last year to 61.68 in the same period this year.
Fewer marriages and divorces
Statistics also show that in the first three months of this year, 1,879 marriages were concluded, which is less than the year before when there were 2,077. At the same time, fewer divorces were recorded. From January to March, 410 marriages were dissolved, while 523 divorces were recorded in the same period last year.
It is still too early to draw conclusions
Although the data show some optimism, it is still too early to talk about a change in the long-term demographic trend.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has been facing negative natural growth, population aging and emigration for years, which is why the number of inhabitants is continuously decreasing.
Therefore, only the data for the rest of the year will show whether the improvement recorded in the first quarter is only a temporary deviation or the beginning of a more permanent turn in the demographic trends in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
